Good morning!— Taylor Swift breaks the hotel industry, an ancient solar system time capsule is brought to earth, and a contentious gold medal has surprising resolution.
We also have a Goliath of a website featured for today’s Tech Tuesday.

Economy

Taylor Swift Rockets Hotel Industry Revenue

Taylor Swift's sensational "Eras" tour has set off a golden wave of prosperity in the hotel industry, not only in the United States but with a potential global reach as the tour expands internationally, according to data from investment firm Bernstein.

Dubbed "Swiftonomics" by analyst Richard Clarke, the tour has significantly bolstered the hotel sector. During Swift's tour stops, data reveals that average revenue generated per room exceeded the national benchmark by over 4 percentage points in U.S. states. In those states, revenue per room soared by an average of about 7% compared to the same periods in the previous year.

Los Angeles saw a $320 million boost to its annual GDP when Swift toured there in August. Meanwhile, Nashville experienced remarkable growth, with hotel occupancy surging by more than 30%, and room rates soaring over 50% on concert nights. Over that weekend, revenue per room more than doubled.

This analysis confirms reports of the economic surge resulting from Swift's concerts. The phenomenon has not only captured the attention of Wall Street but also the Federal Reserve, which highlighted heightened hotel bookings during Swift's Philadelphia stop, with May marking the city's strongest month for hotel revenue since the onset of the pandemic.

I must say it seems like Swift is doing more for the economy then the Federal Reserve. Maybe they should take some notes.

Swift's recent announcement of a theatrical premiere of a filmed version of her tour in October further underlines her continued influence and appeal.
—is it safe to say this is another era of “Swiftonomics”?

Culture

Battlefields Without The Battle

When we take the war out of a battlefield, we can be left with some of the most beautiful sites you can see.

One artist, Cvijanovic, has taken on a monumental challenge, transforming the way we perceive American military history by creating massive, awe-inspiring paintings of American battlefields. Using Tyvek as his canvas, he has breathed life into iconic moments in the nation's history, from the colonial era to the present.

Cvijanovic's artistic journey is a fascinating one. He commenced his journey as a muralist in 2021, setting out to paint 17 American battlefields, each devoid of human presence.

This unique approach challenges conventional war art, which typically focuses on the people and the action. By omitting the soldiers and their traces, Cvijanovic invites viewers to immerse themselves in a more abstract but comprehensive emotional experience.

In his creations, Cvijanovic has given life to American battlefields, transforming them from forgotten past to living art, and in doing so, has ignited a conversation about the ever-changing relationship between history, emotion, and aesthetics.

I believe that this is a refreshing take on the intricacies of human existence. Despite the brutality of a battlefield, beauty is still present even in the midst of something terrible. A gentle reminder of the balance of life.

If you would like to see more of these beautiful paintings, go here to view the gallery.

World News

Ancient Solar System Time Capsule Returns From Asteroid

NASA's latest achievement marks a historic milestone in space exploration. The agency now possesses a capsule containing around half a pound of material collected from the asteroid Bennu, thanks to the OSIRIS-REx Mission. This inaugural seven-year mission involved launching a spacecraft in 2016, guiding it remotely to Bennu in 2019, carefully selecting a landing site, collecting a sample in October 2020, and returning to Earth in 2021.

The Bennu sample, approximately 8.8 ounces (250 grams), has been transported to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Curation scientists will meticulously analyze and distribute portions of Bennu to researchers worldwide, all while prioritizing sample purity through a "nitrogen purge."

This remarkable achievement promises to unlock insights into planet formation, the origin of life-enabling elements, and the study of potentially hazardous asteroids, furthering our understanding of the cosmos and its impact on humanity.

Sports

Battle For Gold

In a remarkable display of sportsmanship and friendship, Australian pole vaulter Nina Kennedy and American pole vaulter Katie Moon chose to share the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. The two athletes had engaged in a tough competition, matching each other in normal rounds and even enduring three tiebreaker rounds to determine the champion.

However, the tiebreakers reached an impasse, with both Kennedy and Moon successfully clearing the 4.90-meter bar but faltering at the 4.95-meter height. Faced with this deadlock, the two long-time friends made a mutual decision to share the coveted gold medal. In such circumstances, when a dead heat occurs between competitors, this choice is allowed.

Kennedy recounted her surprise at Moon's willingness to share the medal, saying, "I didn't think she'd want to share it, I thought we might have had to keep jumping." Moon echoed these sentiments, emphasizing their friendship and the experience of sharing the medal.

For Katie Moon, this marked her second world championship gold, while for Nina Kennedy, it was her first.

Notably, this event was a reminder of the gold medal-sharing moment at the Tokyo Olympics when Qatar's Mutaz Barshim and Italy's Gianmarco Tamberi jointly claimed the gold in the men's high jump final.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.

Mind Stretchers

• What gets wet while drying?

• What can go up a chimney down, but can’t go down a chimney up?

• What can you catch, but not throw?

• What can travel all around the world without leaving its corner?

• What two things can you never eat for breakfast?

  Check in tomorrow to get the answers